Plans for 850 homes at Benedict Wharf in Mitcham have been refused by Merton Council.
Landowner Suez Recycling and Recovery UK increased the number of homes in the detailed plans to boost the number of affordable homes, following discussions with the council and the Greater London Authority.
Revised plans promised 35% affordable housing, with 298 affordable homes. It followed an outline planning application of 600 homes, with 20% affordable housing equating to 120 homes.
Building heights were raised from up to eight storeys to 10 storeys for the scheme.
But a planning committee on Thursday 18 June overruled the officer’s recommendation to approve the scheme, raising concerns over the impact to the local surroundings.
Suez’s waste management plant has been operational at the 10-acre site since 1989. The company has been upgrading its facilities to improve efficiency and sustainability.
In 2012, the company was approved to redevelop the site as an eco-park with wider landscaping and environmental improvement works. Suez said it was not viable due to constraints around the site, and has since found a new site in Sutton to replace the current facilities.
The freeholder intends to sell the consented residential scheme to a developer to pay for relocation costs. The scheme has been designed by PRP Architects, with planning advice from Savills.
The development will now go to the mayor for the final decision.
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